Say Hello, Wave Goodbye
by twelvestopsandhome
Summary: After the sudden death of Hodgin's dad, Angela tries to keep their relationship together while grief threatens to tear it apart. AH
1. Chapter 1

Hello all! This is slightly darker than what you're used to from me…It'll probably be only about 4 chapters long but I'm going to make the chapters nice and long…

This fic is in loving memory of my Granduncle who lost his battle with cancer only this morning. I got the news after I wrote this fic and it reminded me of what his children and wife are going through right now.

Let me know what you think! xx

Say Hello, Wave Goodbye

Nothing tests love like death. Someone much wiser than me once said 'True love never lives happily ever after - true love has no ending.'

It was well after midnight when the phone rang. The rings echoed through the long corridor and under the bedroom door.

'We really have to get a landline in here' Angela thought as she pulled herself up. She glanced over at the sleeping body next to her. She could never understand his sleeping pattern. Minutes ago they had both been awake talking about something so random that they had convinced themselves it was important.

And though she knew he was sound asleep she still felt the need to lean over and whisper in his ear 'I'm going to answer the phone.'

The phone continued to ring as Angela carefully walked down the darkened hall. Taking a suddenly left she flicked the kitchen light on and reached for the phone.

'Hello?' she put on her best you've-woken-me-up-in-the-middle-of-the-night voice.

'Hello this is Dr. Monroe from Mary Immaculate Hospital, my I please speak to Jack Hodgins.' the male voice spoke calmly.

'Is there something wrong?' she asked forcefully.

'I really do need to speak with him' the doctor ignored her question.

'Hold on' she dropped the phone on the counter and raced back down the corridor and into the bedroom.

'Hodgins wake up' she panted 'there's a doctor on the phone for you.'

No movement. 'Jack!' she shook him vigorously.

He opened his eyes slowly 'What the hell are you doing baby?' he asked turning on his side.

'There's a doctor on the phone for you' she repeated.

'Okay…' he glanced at the clock on the bedside locker. 'You stay here and keep the bed warm' he winked.

Angela bit her lip 'Jack, it sounds serious' she warned him as he walked in the dark hall.

Angela had experienced enough in life to know that a phone call from anyone let alone a doctor in the middle of the night was never a good thing. And as she sat in the centre of the bed curled up in the duvet she knew whatever the man was telling Hodgins it was going to have a major effect on both their lives.

After fifteen minutes of these thoughts and no sign of Hodgins she once more walked up the dark hall into the kitchen. She had been expecting to see him still talking on the phone but instead she found him sitting on the floor with his back against the fridge staring blankly into space.

She silently sat down beside him and entwined her fingers in his. 'What happened?' she asked exhaling deeply, readying herself for what he was about to say.

'My dad' he whispered after a brief pause 'he…she couldn't wake him up…he went into cardiac arrest…'

Angela tightened the grip on his hand as she saw his eyes well with tears.

'How could he do this to my mum?' he closed his eyes.

'I'm so sorry Jack' she leaned her head on his shoulders.

'I should start organizing things' he muttered, suddenly standing up leaving Angela still on the ground.

'It's the middle of the night sweetie, we can start tomorrow.' Angela pulled herself off the ground and grabbed his hand.

'No, I won't be able to sleep anyway' he pulled his hand way from hers. 'I have to organize for my mum to come here and ring the undertakers to transport the bod-my dad and-'

'Jack we'll do all that tomorrow.' she told him putting the emphasis on 'we'll'. 'but for now will you please come to bed?'

He shook his head and walked past her out of the kitchen to the study.

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She heard every step he took, every word he muttered under his breath, every phone call he made and every frustrated swear he let out that night. Every hour or so she would get out of bed to check where he was but when she did he would mutter something about being okay and tell her to go back to bed. She knew what he was doing, because she had done it many times before, he was preoccupying himself with trivial tasks, he was creating a barrier around him and he was blocking her out.

Finally dawn broke and she had excuse to be awake. Grabbing her cell she quickly rang the one person she knew would definitely be up this early.

'Bren? Hey it's me' Angela tried to speak coolly.

'Morning Angela' said Dr. Temperance Brennan 'is everything alright it's kind of early for you isn't it?'

'Hodgin's dad died last night' Angela stated plainly.

'Oh' Brennan said simply. 'Is Hodgins okay?'

Angela shook her head and closed her eyes to in hopes of stopping the tears. 'No, no he's not. I don't know what to do.'

'I'm hardly one to be asking advice from' Brennan said truthfully 'but you just have to be there, he'll come to you.'

'That was way too psychological you know' Angela smiled ever so slightly. 'Anyway I doubt either of us will be in today.'

'Let me know if you need anything okay?' Brennan said gently.

'Will do. Thanks sweetie' Angela thanked her best friend before closing her cell and flinging it on the bed.

He was on the phone again when she appeared in the door of the study. He was leaning on his right arm and talking in a low voice to someone, Angela presumed, he knew well.

'I'll talk to you soon' he finished the conversation and placed the receiver back down.

'I told Brennan' she said softly moving into the room. 'and I told her that we wouldn't be in today'

'Thanks but there's no need for you to stay at home' Hodgins shrugged.

'Stop it' Angela was losing her patience.

'Stop what?' Hodgins raised his eyes to hers.

'Stop pushing me away' she looked him hard in the eye.

Hodgins shook his head and looked back down at the desk. 'I don't know what to do' he said childishly. 'I feel…you know when you're young you think what ever happens that your mum and dad will be there and love you regardless… and now I only have one person who loves me no matter what I do.'

Despite the vulnerability of his words, Angela found herself getting angry 'and what about me? You think I don't love you unconditionally?'

'Ange that's not what I meant' Hodgins put his head in his hands.

'You know what Jack, I know how much you are hurting right now and I want to make it better.' After trying to force them back, the tears were coming hot and heavy now. 'but you won't let me.'

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	2. Chapter 2

Hello! Okay so here is some more angst for us all! I love writing this most of the time but sometimes I shock myself with sad thoughts so then I go write a happy fic so look out for that soon! I own nothing… well…no…I own nothing. Enjoy!

'Love is an act of endless forgiveness, a tender look which becomes a habit.'

An agonizing silence hung over them. The kind of silence that fills a room and suffocates all in it. Angela widened her teary eyes, daring him to speak.

'I have some more phone calls to make' he muttered reaching for the phone once again.

That wasn't really what she was looking for but it broke the silence.

'I can make them if you want' she offered.

'I have it under control' he shrugged dismissively.

'Okay then let me make you some breakfast' she turned towards the door.

'I'm not hungry' Hodgins told her as he dialed a number.

'For fuck sake Jack let me do something' Angela threw up her arms in frustration.

Hodgins sighed and looked down at the desk. 'Breakfast would be nice, thanks'

'Okay then' Angela smiled weakly.

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Angela always found it strange how the world continued after death. Life goes on. This was the thought that filled her head as she reached for the radio that rested on the window sill. She stopped herself briefly, thinking that it was in some way disrespectful but decided that above all, she couldn't take the silence that once again filled the house.

She leaned absentmindedly against the sink as the unmistakable vocals of Nick Cave filled the kitchen.

_To our love send a dozen white lilies  
To our love send a coffin of wood  
To our love let all the pink-eyed pigeons coo_  
_That people they just ain't no good  
To our love send back all the letters  
To our love a valentine of blood  
To our love let all the jilted lovers cry  
That people they just ain't no good_

It ain't that in their hearts they're bad  
They can comfort you, some even try  
They nurse you when you're ill of health  
They bury you when you go and die  
It ain't that in their hearts they're bad  
They'd stick by you if they could  
But that's just bullshit  
People just ain't no good

People they ain't no good  
People they ain't no good

'That's enough of that' Angela thought pulling herself together and walking to the fridge.

'Practically empty' Angela whispered to herself 'and who's turn was it to do the shopping?'

Food. She definitely needed to find a way of getting some into the house before Hodgins' mum came.

'Omelette it is' she spotted 4 eggs on the shelf.

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'Poor Hodgins' Cam sighed.

'Should we send flowers?' Zach asked looking around to each of them anxiously.

'How is he?' Booth asked genuinely concerned.

'Not good' Brennan shook her head.

'You know what's sort of strange, I don't think I ever remember him talking about his father' Zach mused aloud. 'Ever.'

'Are you surprised?' Booth asked. 'Remember who is father was, the whole Cantilever Group factor, I mean he hated us knowing…who he was.'

A beat passed as they each nodded silently.

'We should definitely send flowers' Zach concluded.

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'What time does your mum's flight get in?' Angela asked semi-sitting on the desk, as Hodgins finished the omelette.

'About four and I've organised for the undertakers to meet us at the airport' he checked his watch.

'I'll make up a room for your mum then' Angela walked to door, she stopped suddenly to turn around, realising that the house was once Hodgin's parents home. 'Which room was theirs?'

'Ours' Hodgins answered quietly.

'Oh' Angela said, not knowing what to say next.

'She won't care which room she sleeps in' Hodgins scribbled something down a piece of paper.

'I guess not' Angela nodded 'do you want me to go to the airport with you?' she asked, silently begging that his answer would be yes.

'I'd prefer to go on my own' he said unapologetically.

Angela took a deep breath in, turned on her heels and walked out the door.

Hodgins stared absent-mindedly at the space were she had been standing until the abrupt ring of the phone cleared his thoughts.

'Hello?' he said rubbing his eyes furiously with his right hand.

'Jack' a soft voice breathed sympathetically. 'I'm so sorry'

Clarissa.

'How's your mum'? she asked with genuine concern.

'In a state of shock I think' he answered truthfully. 'I don't know how she's going to cope.' Hodgins shook his head. Why was he telling her this so easily when Angela was begging for him to open up to her?

'She'll get through it' Clarissa said confidently. 'I did and your mother is a much stronger woman than I am.'

Hodgins smiled. 'Thanks'

'You'll let me know the arrangements?' she asked clearing her throat.

'of course'

'It'll be okay Jack, I promise' Clarissa said confidently.

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It was 5.30 as Angela filled up the fridge with food she hoped Mrs. Hodgins would like. She had spoken to the women once or twice on the phone when she would answer Hodgins' cell when he was out of the room but that was it. Now she has to meet her under the worst possible circumstances. What would say to her? What could she say to her? 'Nice to meet you' didn't seem appropriate in the slightest. 'I'm sorry for your loss' didn't seem enough. Angela knew hardly anything of Mr. Hodgins, only that he had been very influencal regarding the Cantilever Group in the 1970's. She needed to know more about the man she was mourning. Though she had been living in the house for months and had quickly began calling it 'home', the nervous feeling you get when poking around some else's house filled her as she rifled threw the dozens of photo albums that had been carefully stored in large antique drawers in the living room. She had begged Hodgins to go through them with her many times but they had never got around to it and she hadn't felt comfortable looking at them without him. But this was different. This was for him.

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The next chapter will probably be up in about 2 weeks or so because I'll more than likely be away for a while. Well hope ye enjoyed that one! Let me know! Jo


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